Child protection through AMWCY

1. Child protection through AMWCY Case of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.

2. Protection according to children

3. Example of Missérété AMWCY: protect children like hens • In Missérété in Benin to understand child protection WCYs have used the image of their hens protection . Hens and their chicks are followed in their walk. We give them to eat and we clean every time the place they sleep. • As for children we maintain our domestic animals, we are also very aware of children wandering. We set up committees that follow them, advise them and guide them. If a child wants to leave Missérété to go to Nigeria, the committee is there to watch over his project, the advisor, gives useful information, gives support and required contacts. • That is why today we know how to protect children and prevent him from dangerous situations. Conclusion : for children, protection it is to care for children while following his project implementation

4. To do this, what we do and what we ask to everyone:

5. Protection limits noted by children in general • Protection is daily, day and night while NGOs and social services actions are just available on business days and hours. • Protection available today, is not always accessible to many children as they do not know exactly what opportunities exist nor the conditions for benefiting. • The children interviewed in research itinerary tend to say they avoid some stakeholders who are supposed to protect them. Example of border officers, police stations, some NGOs they perceive as threats to their project. • Protection services may not meet priority needs of children. The responses are very slow for some peoples and expectations are not so effective in the short term.

6. AMWCY protection initiatives in West Africa

7. Actions of listening, support and referral Planned listening Non planned listening In West Africa, there are 118 392 WCYs. If we add sympathizers who are 265,326 it makes 383,718 children and young people available to listen and to protect other children and young people, and treat them as friends.

8. Setting up of a telephone communication system • This is an initiative of WCYs. At national level, AWCY made ​​a contract with a Mobile phone operator. From this annual contract each AWCY has a chip allowing WCYs to make calls and have unlimited communication between members of the favourite group. • Thus, it is easier for associations to communicate on each case of displacement of children and young people from one city to another. • If a child from Ketou goes to Cotonou, communication between Kétou AWCY and Cotonou AWCY is carried out with this number. The city of destination is well informed about who the child is, where he goes, who is his contact, what is his project etc. • In Cotonou WCYs verify the information received before the departure of the child and upon arrival at destination, the child calls the WCY number of the city to get his bearings. • WCYs of the arrival city call those in the city of departure to confirm the child's arrival. • After some days in the city, the hospitable inform members of the departure city of the child living conditions. Cotonou Kétou

9. Wide coverage, makes AMWCY network efficiency in West Africa • In 2011, AMWCY had 1973 basic groups in as many neighbourhoods and villages composed of 218 Associations in 13 countries that is say a very dense and ubiquitous network • it is hard to travel 200 km in West Africa, without meeting a WCY Association . Note. AMWCY not limited to West Africa.

10. General public Action Literacy class Support to organization and implementation of Income Generating Activities Information sharing and technique and method strengthening

11. Villages Actions • Our actions affected 1,335 villages • They are visited regularly to take action and for their monitoring. • Some have begun to join AWCYs For actions see the following examples in Jeuda 123 : • Niger ; • Daygorou village where marabouts no longer travel with children • Creation of basic groups in the villages of Makalondi at the border between Niger and Burkina Faso • SAABA village in Burkina Faso

12. Transporters, employers, maids, moms, .. etc.. for accountability and information sharing Traditional, religious chiefs, parents, etc..Their participation in problems settlement Negotiate services, supports with authorities, hospitals etc..

13. This network is connected with other stakeholders with whom he interacts by bringing his contacts his "cases" and his contributions • Police officers on frontier posts and police stations • Local authorities, mayors, prefects etc.. • Clinics, hospitals Note. The results of "itinerary search" mention community stakeholders with whom WCYs work, given the importance of their role in child protection • Elder sisters, Good ladies of markets, bosses, employers etc.. they are responsible in child workplace • DAGAN or "Fogan" or "OGA" elders "elder sisters or older brothers" have experienced some mobility, they have the contacts of employers in the destination • Conveyor: one who accompanies the children in travel • Transporter, driver, driver trainee "co-ckeurs" who load transportation cars • Proprietor, citizens, former migrants family neighbourhoods etc.. • Heads of villages and districts • Zemidjan : motorcycle taxi(Benin)

14. Bibliography • Jeuda 119 : «turn victims into stakeholders» • jeuda 121 : «Routes to success?» • jeuda 123 : «mobility child protection by young people children organized» • Posters about mobility and protection • Workshop annual reports: of the mobility group AMWCY(2005-2011) Available on the website: www.maejt.org